21/02/2017 BBC Newsline


21/02/2017

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and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.

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This is BBC Newsline and these are the headlines this Tuesday

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Nine people are being questioned about arson attacks on serving

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police officers. I will have the latest.

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A report from a policy group set up and run

:00:34.:00:40.

by the Department of Education criticises the impact

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Sit back and it is all over the place at the moment, it needs

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sorted. We need an Assembly. Best themed hotel in Belfast -

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Could it look like this? And wind and rain is the them

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in the coming days, with Storm Doris I'll have your weather

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details shortly. Nine people have been arrested

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by detectives who are investigating a spate of arson attacks

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on the homes and cars The group is being questioned

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at Musgrave police station in Belfast, from where our reporter

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Catherine Morrison has this report. This all began with a series

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of early morning raids in Larne, Lisburn,

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Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon. Six men and three

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women were arrested. They were brought here

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to Musgrave Street police station for questioning

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on a number of offences including arson,

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arson with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to

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cause an explosion. The PSNI has told us the operation

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is in connection with targeting serving police

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officers in arson attacks. We do not have many details

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on this but what we do know is that between April and July

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of last year, in the Banbridge, Portadown and Gilford areas,

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a number of officers had their vehicles and homes set on fire

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and in some cases destroyed. This morning, at

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the same time as the arrests were made, searches

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were carried out and a number of items taken away

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for further examination. The police haven't done any

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interviews about this but in a statement, DI Keith Gawley

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described these as serious, life endangering attacks on officers

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and appealed for anyone with any information about the attacks

:02:32.:02:35.

to contact detectives. He also revealed there

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is a drugs links to the case and these 9 people are also

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being questioned about possessing class A, B and C drugs

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and intending to supply them. Five pipe bomb devices

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and a quantity of ammunition have been found during a security

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alert in West Belfast. They were removed

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by bomb disposal teams after the search of a house

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in Conway Street. Police say their research was part

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of an investigation into organised criminality by the INLA.

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A teenager accused of the manslaughter of a County Fermanagh

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Thirteen year old Oisin McGrath from Belcoo died following a playground

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Here's our South-West reporter Julian Fowler.

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19-year-old Francis McDermott is accused of unlawfully killing Oisin

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McGrath in February 2015. When that charge was put to him today he

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replied not guilty. The family were court and heard the defence

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solicitors the case would be conducted in a way to minimise their

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pain. Oisin McGrath Was taken to hospital following an incident in

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the playground at Saint Michaels College. At the time of the incident

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Francis McDermott was on the sixth form. It was said that an unusual

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set of circumstances Oisin McGrath led to the collapse and death of. He

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said further information was required. The case is said to last

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three weeks. Francis McDermott is now a university student and was

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The Police have arrested a 26-year-old man in connection

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with the murder of a man who was injured during

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22-year-old Conan Anderson from the Short Strand area

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of the city, suffered a head injury in the early hours of

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He was admitted to hospital later that day and died

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The police are treating a petrol bomb attack on a car belonging

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to a Sinn Fein election agent as a hate crime.

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The vehicle was set on fire during the attack

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County Down shortly after half past ten last night.

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The car, which was parked in the driveway of the family home,

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Two masked men were seen in the area at the time.

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Sinn Fein has described it as an attack on the democratic process.

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The DUP in the area has asked anyone with information about the attack

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The widow of the murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has lost

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the latest stage in her campaign for a public inquiry

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Mr Finucane was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries

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His widow Geraldine Finucane challenged the former

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Prime Minister David Cameron over his refusal to order such

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an inquiry, but today the Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal.

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It also emerged the police are examining new information

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There is definitely unfinished business which the court highlighted

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today. It is a lengthy judgment which we will have to take into

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consideration. But one thing which we will have to follow is the fact

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that the police are now investigating all the new evidence

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A man in his 60s has died following a crash in Bangor.

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His car was involved in a collision with another vehicle at Cotton Road

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The Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long has admitted that she called two

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after her party's election manifesto launch Naomi Long also talked

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about a Belfast Telegraph story which reported

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that the Alliance Party had encouraged members to ring

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a BBC election phone-in with what was described

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Mrs Long said the story was "a storm in a tea cup."

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Here is our Political Correspondent Stephen Walker.

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Not the headlines you want on the day of our manifesto Wunsch. The

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Belfast Telegraph said the Alliance Party had encourage members to ring

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in to the Talkback programme with easy questions for Naomi Long and

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suggested the use a fake name if they wanted to. Naomi Long said this

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story was a storm in a teacup and the postings were a joke. --

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postings. A BBC spokesman said production teams do their best to

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assess each caller to ensure that contribute to a fair and balanced

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discussion. Separately Naomi Long admitted she described two Wyman as

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balloons. Women who had recently resigned from the Alliance Party. --

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two women. I think people would be surprised that all I said was

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balloons. So you did say it? I did. It was the items in the manifesto

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she wanted to concentrate on. She said this election is about choosing

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people who are fit to govern. We have been brought hear by a scandal

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in terms of RHI and how it was handled. Crucially we were brought

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hereby a breakdown for respect of partners in government. The Alliance

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Party say they have big plans for a change, including what they say as

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the abuse of petitions of concern. They want to introduce a single

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equality Bill and a special status for Northern Ireland after Brexit.

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They say integrated education should be expanded and they will oppose any

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repeal of the Human Rights Act. What are they aiming for the same? We

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would hope to hold our MLAs and we seek opportunities for growth in

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other areas. I am looking beyond that as well. This is not the only

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election so we are looking forward to the local council in future

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elections as well and try to grow the party outside this firm believes

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we have established. -- firm base. At the last election the Alliance

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vote went down and the new leaders there is any increase will be

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regarded as a good vote. The Assembly election is a once

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in a lifetime opportunity for smaller parties claims

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the People Before Profit Alliance which won two seats

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in Stormont last year. The party is calling for an end to

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corruption, and into links between paramilitaries and the state and to

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privatisation. It says its job has been made easier because of public

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fury over the RHI scheme. Last year we were told there was no

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alternative to austerity, running down education in the health

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service. The lay-off of public sector workers but now you can just

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A policy group set up and run by the Department of Education has

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criticised the impact of academic selection on children.

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Its report says selection has had what it calls "negative influences."

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The minister doesn't agree, as our education correspondent

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A state-run test had been around since the 1940s but scrapped by

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previous Education Minister a decade ago.

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But academic selection persists and still

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Now the Department of education's own advisory body has

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Their report says that academic selection puts

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lower achieving pupils into small group schools.

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Make some primary schoolchildren interested in

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learning and reinforces social division.

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One of the experts welcomes their conclusions. The basic evidence has

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not changed. The same issues are still sitting there but we don't

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have any political capacity to address the issues so maybe by

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forcing these issues into open, there can be more creativity and

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innovation. Legal education should be working in the interests of all

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our young people. The selective system and other elements is not

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But although it's from his department, the Education Minister

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Peter Weir did not set up the forum's inquiry

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In a statement he said that by setting demanding standards and

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offering rich educational opportunities, grammar schools can

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scare impressive outcomes for those who will drive the greatest benefit

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This is a wide-ranging report and it is actually critical

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of many aspects of our education system.

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But Peter Weir has only a short time left in office so it is

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uncertain who will be responsible for addressing its concerns after

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What is certain is that battles over academic selection

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Baroness alone has told the Lords that Assembly election has will be

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to direct... She also told peers that Brexit will recreate the border

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between North and South and precipitate a border referendum.

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There are still a lot of guns in circulation. We still had shootings

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and things like that so I do not think we can be complacent and

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suggest that has nothing to worry about. Brexit will recreate the

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border. Orders are there by the nature devices, this border will

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attract protests, hostility, violence and significant economic

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delay. Other borders across Europe will create delays for those who

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seek to import from the United Kingdom into Europe. Ironically,

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this border could be the thing that precipitates the demand for another

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referendum on a united Ireland. The High Court has been told that

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a new dual carriageway would have a minimal impact on a key

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wetland with international An Environmentalist

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is challenging the decision to proceed with a section

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of the A6 near Toomebridge. Here's our Agriculture

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and Environment Correspondent Chris and Doris Murphy had

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a few final submissions to make in opposition

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the scheme but today was the day the dept of infrastructure

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This lawyer argued that the contest section of road did

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not cut through the protected wetland and would take only a small

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portion of the fields used by the Swans for foraging.

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The court was told Swans were not unduly

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concerned by the presence of a road at all.

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Counsel for the Department said survey work along the existing A6

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had shown its ones foraging happily opted out. It is not swans that --

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cars that disturb this one spot people. -- disturb this warns.

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133 landowners along the route had had their land vested

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If it did not go ahead, the department

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would be left with the land and the compensation bill.

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Chris Murphy had made the case that the environmental

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service which underpinned the decision to proceed in 2016 had been

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based on information which was almost a decade out of date.

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But the department's lawyer said the original authorisation for the

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project had been appropriately given in 2011 so that was no need for an

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entirely new assessment of its impact on 2016, when the money to

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The department says the appropriate assessments were done in the

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information which underpinned the 2016 decision to go ahead with

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up-to-date. It will now be up to the judge to decide. It will be at least

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a month before she gives her decision.

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Back to the election campaign and as March the second approaches

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we've been visiting various places to get a sample of opinions

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Newsline's Tara Mills has been to Londonderry

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The chilly Monday in February probably was not the best

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the best team to for a

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But there were some who could not get away.

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It is a long way from Stormont but those voters thinks his

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I think the representatives in the north-west are doing a good enough

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job up there. I know what you're saying, they could not be any

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farther away by think they are doing a good job.

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chat on the doorsteps but out on the street was a different story.

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What issues do you think should be sorted out? Nicky Low Way ahead from

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the Good Friday Agreement. They are thinking about the children. My

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grandchildren and great grandchildren coming now. You are

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thinking about them and what is best for them.

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At the sheltered housing development residents

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were more than happy to

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I'm going to vote? Of course I am going to vote. Do you always vote? I

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always vote. I think it is right that everybody should vote because

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they fought long and hard enough to get the vote. It is sorted. Read an

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Assembly. Are you a supporter of Stormont? -- lead an Assembly. Of

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course it is needed. In the Waterside, this

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community Centre is home to Members of the crochet

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club had lots of Old-age pension for the ladies

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should be put back to 16, same with men for 65. If you work to 60 you

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have done enough I think. Let the young people comment. The health

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service is terrible at the moment, it is all over the news. My children

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have grown up and they are both working but probably for my

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grandchildren, the education and the health service.

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Others do not want to see Stormont collapse for good.

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Why is it important? Because they do not win it. They know our place

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although Northern Ireland soothing -- the living lives of the people.

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They just know better than they do in responding to you. -- in England

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what the people in that year. -- in England what the

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people in that year. Most of the people we spoke to had

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not had any politicians calling to With just over a week left

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until polling day, there are still some who could

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be convinced to vote. A Liverpool-based developer has

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announced a plan to build a George-Best themed

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hotel in Belfast. Lawrence Kenwright says he intends

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to develop a total of five hotels This is Lawrence Kenwright at

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a Belfast City Council event today. It is themed around the legendary

:19:02.:19:07.

football manager Bill Shankly. It is a model for the planned

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George Best hotel. He has not yet finalised

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the purchase of his Belfast sites although he says two deals

:19:15.:19:16.

have almost completed. He is looking for unloved

:19:17.:19:18.

buildings with potential. We're looking up mostly of three

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follow-ups. Buildings that are mostly listed and do not confirm to

:19:34.:19:39.

modern regulations. Because they are listed, you cannot knock down while

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Belfast is undergoing a hotel building them.

:19:43.:19:45.

The Hastings group are converting this office block

:19:46.:19:47.

There are another five hotels under construction and even more have

:19:48.:19:55.

So can the city take another five on top of what is

:19:56.:19:59.

If the demand for hotel rooms in Belfast continues to grow at 8% per

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ad -- per annum which is what it has done between 2011 and 2015 then

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there will be even in the marketplace from 2020 and beyond

:20:19.:20:19.

Baltimore. -- for more details. Mr Kenwright hopes to have his

:20:20.:20:26.

first deal is completed within a few months and first

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to tell deliberate just nine months These are ambitious plans

:20:30.:20:32.

ambitious timescales. If Mr Kenwright can

:20:33.:20:34.

pull it off he will be one of the biggest

:20:35.:20:37.

hoteliers in Belfast. Ireland fly-half Jonny Sexton

:20:38.:20:42.

trained today and is eligible for selection for Saturday's Six Nations

:20:43.:20:45.

clash with France in Dublin. While that is good news

:20:46.:20:47.

for coach Joe Schmidt, Ulster's Paddy Jackson, who has also

:20:48.:20:53.

worn the number ten shirt in Sexton's absence,

:20:54.:20:58.

is currently the leading points So who will start at fly-half

:20:59.:21:00.

for Ireland this weekend? Jonny Sexton gets picked like

:21:01.:21:22.

everybody else, he has no divine right to be picked. He's done this

:21:23.:21:27.

before, then out for long periods and then come back in has been

:21:28.:21:30.

really good so it is not something which is new to them. When we come

:21:31.:21:36.

to this election over the next 24 hours, will make the decision

:21:37.:21:40.

whether he is ready on whether we stick Paddy. -- stick with Paddy.

:21:41.:21:52.

We are told that a storm is making its way across the Atlantic -

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Barra Best has been tracking its path.

:21:57.:22:00.

The good news is most of the rain will fall during the early hours. It

:22:01.:22:08.

should clearly by the morning. A bit of a chill in the air tonight. No

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frost to worry about. And really drive the tomorrow. There will be a

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westerly winds which will bring in one or two scattered showers. Inland

:22:20.:22:26.

we should stay dry throughout the day, feeling colder than today.

:22:27.:22:33.

Highs of 9 degrees at best and then it will slowly cloud over from the

:22:34.:22:38.

south-west by the afternoon. If you are travelling tomorrow, we will

:22:39.:22:43.

have reason in Central and southern areas. This will make its way

:22:44.:22:48.

northward to moderate -- through tomorrow evening. It will be very

:22:49.:22:54.

wet. Some of the region will be quite heavy. A lot of rain falling

:22:55.:22:59.

in the short amount of time. The Met Office has issued a weather warning.

:23:00.:23:06.

We could say some flooding in areas. Widespread training and on top of

:23:07.:23:13.

that as temperatures tumble, they will introduce a bit of

:23:14.:23:18.

consciousness. -- widespread reason. We could get some flurries of Fleet

:23:19.:23:25.

area on Thursday morning. Courtesy of Storm Doris. It will bring in

:23:26.:23:34.

some cold Arctic area, scattered showers and temperatures will

:23:35.:23:42.

struggle, just 67 degrees. That

:23:43.:23:43.

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